The backlash against Donald Trump’s weekend attack on the NFL continues, this time from a source the president can usually rely on for support.
The president’s comments blasting NFL players who choose to protest during the national anthem “made things so much worse,” said “Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade on Monday.
“Even if you’re outspoken in sports, it’s no problem,” Kilmeade said, pointing to several famous athletes known for being open about their political beliefs including Mohammed Ali, Charles Barkley and Curt Schilling.
“No one has a problem with, they have an opinion, but they have a problem with people speaking out,” Kilmeade went on. “But the president–and I understand his sentiment–made things so much worse, and the language he used was terrible. When you have [Patriots CEO] Robert Kraft coming out against you, you know you’ve gone too far.”
“[Trump] made things immeasurably worse by speaking out,” the host continued. “And I know what his intention was, but the language used was just galvanizing the wrong direction.”
Kilmeade is just the most recent voice to disagree with Trump’s comments, which began over the weekend during a rally in Alabama and continued on Twitter. Famed sports broadcaster Bob Costas slammed Trump on CNN’s “New Day” Monday morning, and several NFL players, coaches and owners have voiced strong opposition to Trump’s calls to fire players who choose to protest during the National Anthem.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a b—- off the field right now. He is fired,” Trump said. His negative rhetoric towards the NFL caused even more protests than before; several teams stayed in their locker room during the anthem.
12 Super Bowl Commercials That Sparked Outrage (Videos)
GODADDY (2015)
In the ad, a puppy falls off a truck and hearteningly finds its way home. The seemingly sweet commercial shocked viewers as the owner then sells the puppy. Outrage ensued, forcing GoDaddy and ad agency Barton F. Graf to remake the spot, dog-free.
SNICKERS (2007)
After two men accidentally kiss, they respond by having to do something "manly" in this spot for the Mars candy bar. The Gay and Lesbian Anti Defamation League said the ad's message was homophobic, and a few years later it was voted the second worst Super Bowl ad of all time by Ad Age.
NATIONSWIDE'S "BOY" (2015)
This ad depicted the unrealized life of a boy who never grew up after dying in an accident. The spot sparked online debate about the inappropriateness of using tragedy to sell insurance. Nationwide's Chief Marketing officer left the company three months later, and the insurer skipped the Super Bowl the following year.
JUST FOR FEET (1999)
This was considered one of the biggest "oops" commercials of all time. In the spot, a group of men hunts a barefoot Kenyan runner to force shoes on him. After objectors hinted at the ad's blatant racism, the client sued its ad agency, Saatchi & Saatchi. The next year, Just for Feet went bankrupt.
ANTI-DRUG PSA (2002)
This commercial ran shortly after the Sept. 11 attacks and uses the excuse making that's common to narcotics use to suggest a link between drug money and terrorism.
GROUPON (2011)
Starring Timothy Hutton, this spot starts by highlighting the crisis in Tibet, but pivots to a pitch for Groupon, hyping a deal that offered $30 worth of Tibetan food for $15 at a restaurant in Chicago. The slogan, "Save the Money," prompted widespread Twitter indignation.
FEDEX (2008)
This "Wizard of Oz"-inspired commercial was banned for allegedly encouraging viewers to huff substances.
TIM TEBOW FOR FOCUS ON THE FAMILY (2010)
The NFL star and his mother starred in this ad discouraging abortion, enraging many over the commercial's pro-life message.
SKETCHERS DOG RACING (2012)
This spot for the shoemaker outraged animal lovers and was accused of promoting abuse for promoting dog racing. More than 100,000 people signed a petition to get the ad pulled from from the Super Bowl, but it aired any way.
SALESGENIE (2008)
Racism was the charge leveled at SalesGenie for this ad featuring a pair of animated pandas who work in a bamboo furniture store and sport hyperbolized Chinese accents. It was pulled from the airwaves following the Super Bowl.
HOLIDAY INN (1999)
Holiday Inn came under fire first by transgender advocates when it ran this ad comparing the $1 billion worth of upgrades at its hotels to gender reassignment surgery. The commercial was cut shortly after the Super Bowl.
84 LUMBER (2017)
Just weeks after President Trump's inauguration, 84 Lumber made an ad depicting a group of Latin migrants on a journey to America before coming face to face with an imposing border wall. Fox deemed the conclusion of the ad "too controversial" and aired an edited, 90-second version without a wall, with the ad directing people to a website to watch the full version.
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Animal abuse, racism, anti-gay sentiment — they’re not just for football players anymore!
GODADDY (2015)
In the ad, a puppy falls off a truck and hearteningly finds its way home. The seemingly sweet commercial shocked viewers as the owner then sells the puppy. Outrage ensued, forcing GoDaddy and ad agency Barton F. Graf to remake the spot, dog-free.
